Kids Lit
Books and More for Children and Teens

I was attacked a week ago Friday with an awful flu.  Fever of 101-102 for all the days in between.  I did try to go to work on Monday, but had to head home at lunchtime. 

I never get fevers.  My last fever was over 15 years ago in library school when my then fiance and now husband gave me chicken pox!  I never got many spots, but had to move back with my parents for a month and out of the dorms.

Well I am on the mend with books piled around me waiting to be read.  The worst part was that for most of the week I was too sick to even read. 

This next week is the children's spring break, so I am on vacation.  I may post a little bit but will return to full posting strength on April 9th.

See you then!

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How It Happened in Peach Hill by Marthe Jocelyn.

This is a fascinating portrayal of a teen girl during Prohibition who moves from town to town with her mother who pretends to be a medium in touch with the spirits.  When they arrive in Peach Hill, Annie plays the idiot, drooling and rolling one of her eyes so that she can serve as an information gatherer for her mother.  But Annie who is a bright person begins to chafe under her mother's rule and dreams of breaking free from the cage she has been put in. 

Seventy pages from the end of the book, I still didn't know how the author was going to end it.  How were all of the details going to be tied together and still be satisfying.  But Jocelyn does it very well, not projecting much of the ending ahead of time.  The setting is fascinating, though I would have liked to have the time period introduced immediately.  It was jarring to find clues about the 1920s when I thought I was reading a more modern story.  The small town and outsider point of view was well done, as were the characters of Annie and her mother.  I even enjoyed many of the lesser characters who were surprisingly unique just when you thought you had them figured out.

Unfortunately, the cover of the book does little to sell it.  This is a good read that will have to be hand sold to readers who will look at the cover and not see the palm reading and crystal ball.  It's disappointing because there are such options with this subject matter.

Those teens who do pick it up will find a nice book that matches well with A Drowned Maiden's Hair.  Though it is a teen novel where Annie is 15 and 16 in the book, it is a gentle enough story to use with older elementary children and tweens.   Recommend to tweens who enjoy realistic fiction.

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Kirkus has a pdf version of its Top Picks for Reading Groups available online. The top picks include ones for teen reading groups towards the end. I have only read two of their recommendations: Ida B and Loud Silence of Francine Green. Good books, but I'm not sure they would have been my top picks for discussions.

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Harmless by Dana Reinhardt.

Ever have a moment as a teen where you were caught in a situation and realized that lying was going to be much easier than telling the truth?  That is exactly what this book is about.  It is the second book by Dana Reinhardt, author of A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life, which was a Cybils Award finalist in the teen category. 

Three high school freshman friends, Emma, Anna and Mariah get caught in a situation that they should not have been in.  So they make up a little lie, saying that Emma was attacked by a man and Anna and Mariah save her.  But the lie spirals out of control.  Anna and Mariah are seen as heroes, Emma sees herself as a victim, and the community goes on a manhunt for the perpetrator.  Then a girl in a neighboring town goes missing and a vagrant who frequents both communities is accused of the crime.  Now the three girls have very big decisions to make.  Do they allow an innocent man to go to jail for a made-up crime or do they admit to family, friends and the entire community that they were lying from the beginning.

This book is far more complex than the brief storyline I have written above.  It offers a glimpse into three unique girls who all struggle with their lies in different ways and from different perspectives.  Additionally, all three families of the girls are unique and interesting; all reacting differently to the crisis of the attack and to their daughters. 

Reinhardt is an author who is not afraid of truly delving into the psyches of her characters, revealing depths that otherwise could be left unexplored by other authors.  She has a gift for showing emotions and not telling readers about them, making her characters all the more genuine.

There is sexuality in the novel, but nothing happens in front of the reader.  Mariah is sexually active with her older boyfriend, which speaks directly to her character and her family situation.   The topic is used deftly in the story itself and is not treated lightly.

Recommend this to readers who enjoyed Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson.  They make very interesting companion novels. 

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CNet has an interesting article about the possibility of schools using video games in classroom instruction.  I hate the title of the piece, "More Video Games, Fewer Books at Schools?" because I see it pitting one form of communication against another.  While I will always side with the power of books for education, I wouldn't want to blindly and blithely assume that video games could not be used to reach children who shun books.  This is certainly something that we as librarians as well as educators need to keep our eye on.  Perhaps this is a way for more truly educational games to be created, especially for older children that we could then offer at public libraries?  Sounds exciting to me!

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Destiny's Book Reviews is a book review site written by a ten year old!  She reads the type of books that kids take out of the library by the armload, rather than the more literary works that the rest of us are discussing.  She has a refreshing voice, a great writing style, and her blog is a joy.  Nice to know that there are kids like Destiny out there reading, loving and sharing books.

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A Good Day by Kevin Henkes.

Why even bother to review a Henkes book?  Don't I know by now just to expect greatness?  Well, yes I do.  That is why I simply must read each one! 

With his latest book, Henkes continues to demonstrate his knowledge of children and what appeals to them.  His bold, colorful illustrations combined with exactly the right amount of text make this a fabulous read.  Add to that the exact right amount of tension and you have a real winner.  This book is designed not for the readers of his magnificent mouse books about Lily and Chester and Wemberly, but for younger children, even toddlers.  The illustrations will project wonderfully even to a crowd and beg to be shared.

I don't think you will have trouble finding a storytime theme to fit this in.  The problem will be trying not to use it again and again and again.  I would also recommend this as a birth gift for a new baby.  It is a book that will entice infants with the colors but will grow with them to be a beloved tattered book.

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I love, love, love hearing about libraries that are successfully reaching teens. Tween, teen girls find literary haven tells about the Forest Park Library's program for tween girls. Obviously it is a success due to the skill and devotion of Emma Peterson:

"She's always happy and brings fun things for us to do," Martha said.

Exactly! She's not frowning and waiting for trouble. She's happy, energetic and thrilled to be working with teens. Every library needs an Emma!

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VOYA has a list of the Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers. The criteria for inclusion on the list were that the book be of particular interest to 11 to 13 year olds or kids in grades 6-8 and that it be published between October 2005 and September 2006.

I must say that I haven't read a lot of the titles, but those I have I completely agree are top of the line books. My personal favorites are Rash by Pete Hautman, Black Duck by Janet Taylor Lisle, Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock, and Skin by Adrienne Maria Vrettos.

I have happily added the others onto my future reads list and will share the list with my newly tween niece who will love it.

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Using Mentor Texts to Lift the Level of Writing in My Classroom is a fascinating blog. An anonymous NYC teacher uses mentoring texts to help her students write better. I enjoy her enthusiasm as she talks about each of her students, her reactions to her student teacher, and her recommendations for books. This is a unique look at using books to inspire, educate and teach the teacher.

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LiveScience.com offers news about innovative and interesting science. There are sections on animals, health, nature, the environment, technology, and history. Make sure you scroll down to check out their video collection, reader favorites, view photo galleries, and take part in their polls.

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Pip & Squeak by Ian Schoenherr.

Pip and Squeak are two mice who are off to a party for Gus.  But distracted by the snow, they forget Gus' present.  They travel over a frozen landscape, trying to find another gift for their friend.  When they discover the snowman's carrot nose, they think the orange color means that it is cheese.  Since they found nothing better, they haul the carrot to Gus' party where they find it was the perfect present after all.

If you are looking for good toddler books, this is certainly one.  Very brief words on each page, friendly animals, and oversized illustrations combine to form the perfect toddler or early preschool book.  Children will recognize familiar objects that are foreign to the mice and will immediately know that the present is perfect for Gus the second they see him.  Nicely designed, the book is great to share with a group for a wintry story time. 

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Thunder Bunny by Barbara Berger.

I'm slowly realizing that I might have a thing for bunny books, but I'm going to tell you about this one anyway!  I think it may come from my love of Watership Down, read to me at the breakfast table as a child. 

Thunder Bunny is a bunny who arrived out of the blue, and her fur is the bright blue that you see on the cover image.  When she looks up into the sky, she sees that the blue is always there even if it is hidden by clouds or darkness.  And she decides that she has come from the sky.  The other bunnies scoff at her, but she knows she is right.  When a gust of wind startles the other rabbits back to their hole, Thunder runs right into the wind and rides it into the sky.  She tunnels into a dark part of the clouds and gets scared, until she reminds herself that she is "the blue."  Then she lives up to her name and returns to earth to dazzle the other bunnies.

This book is so fabulous.  Talk about girl power!  And a wide embrace for the power of being different!  The illustrations are bright and will work well with a group.  My five-year-old was lost at the ending, but older children will understand that magic and power are at work and accept the ending without argument. 

I always appreciate books that take risks and end strangely.  This is one of them.  No neat tying of ends, no explanation, just amazement.  Share this interesting book with children first grade and older.  Much more than a nice spring title, this one will resonate with certain children who also feel different from the crowd.

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BBC News has an article: Call for boys' own bookshelves that quotes British Education Secretary Alan Johnson has saying that "We need a boys' bookshelf in every secondary school library in the country, containing positive, modern, relevant role models for working class boys." Um, or you could just hire a librarian who would happily build a collection that would not have to be labeled and distinct because he/she could also be there to fit the best book to that particular child. Sounds like collection development is needed not a special boy shelf. And what happens when the boys read through those boy books? As we would all want them to. Are they then shunted to the pink and glittery shelf of girls' books? How about we just build great school libraries that will speak to both boys and girls of all social classes. There are so many books out there that will capture children heart, line and sinker. I know that boys are falling behind, that reading is looked on as being somehow not masculine enough, and that there are books that boys will appreciate, but segregating them on a separate shelf is not the answer. I have no problem with recommended lists or websites full of great boy reads. But we have to keep our libraries equal and accessible to all.

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Do Re Mi: If you can read music, thank Guido d'Arezzo by Susan L. Roth in association with Angelo Mafucci.

The fascinating story of d'Arezzo's quest to create a way to write music is captured effectively in this picture book.  The book follows his life as he tries to persuade people to even consider that music can be written down.  Though he meets with disdain and failure again and again, d'Arezzo does not give up and finally finds a way to write music that is still used today.

Text in picture book biographies can often be too lengthy.  That is not the case here.  Roth has provided accessible text about a complicated story that tells children just enough without overpowering them with excessive details.  Combine that with the collage illustrations that capture the landscape, the struggle and the epiphany, and you have a very child-friendly biography.

I encourage music teachers to use this with elementary age children.  Any child taking piano lessons or other music lessons where they learn to read music will be fascinated to learn that writing music has not always existed. 

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Lucia and the Light by Phyllis Root, illustrated by Mary Grandpre.

Lucia and her mother and baby brother live in the Far North in a cozy cabin where they are used to the cold winters.  But then days go by when the sun does not shine.  Lucia bravely sets off up the mountain to see what has happened to the sun.  She takes only a crust of bread, her tinderbox, and the white cat.  When she reaches the top of the mountain she discovers that the trolls have stolen the sun, allowing them to be out and about even during the day.  Lucia must find a way to trick the trolls and allow her to free the sun.

This book has such a feel of a traditional folktale, from the three helpful items to the rhythm of the story.  But in some ways it is even better.  I love the part where Lucia is skiing up the mountain in the darkness with just the sound of her skis repeating again and again:  Shoosh, shoosh.  Lovely, quiet, and a very effective way to build tension.  A large part of the success of this picture book are the illustrations.  As you can see from the cover art, deep colors are used with abandon.  When the sun is finally returned to the sky, the oranges and yellows are almost blinding after the morose colors from before.  Children will respond immediately to the illustrations and the story.

Recommended for reading aloud to first and second graders, this is a story that can also be shared with younger listeners in smaller groups.  The book has more words than most picture books, but the story is gripping and even younger children should stay involved.

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Conejito: a folktale from Panama by Margaret Read MacDonald, illustrated by Geraldo Valerio.

This is one of the CCBC Choices of the year, and everyone knows that you can't go wrong with them!

Conejito's school is on vacation so his mother sends him up the mountain to visit his aunt, Tia Monica who will feed him good things until he is fat! Fat! Fat!  On his way to his aunt's he bumps into all sorts of animals who want to eat him.  But he tells them that he will be much fatter when he returns and that they should catch him then.  On the mountain with his aunt, he becomes not only fatter but also stronger, which serves him well on his way back down the mountain. 

The language of this book makes it a perfect read aloud.  There is a delightful mix of Spanish and English that creates a rhythm.  Even better, there are phrases that children will be able to repeat or help with throughout the story, learning Spanish as they contribute.  Add to the language, the bright whimsical illustrations and this is a great book to share with a group.  Even if you are shy about reading other languages aloud, try this!  It is worth the practice it takes. 

Recommended for preschoolers and Kindergarteners.  Best shared aloud with a group.

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Tiger Moth: Insect Ninja and Tiger Moth and the Dragon Kite Contest by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Eric Lervold.

I didn't expect much from these easy-reader graphic novels when I took them home for my sons.  I knew that the boys would be hooked by the cover art and the titles alone, but had no expectations of quality.  I was very pleasantly surprised.

Tiger Moth is a 4th grader who is also a ninja, he has an apprentice ninja named Kung Pow whom he is training in the ninja arts.  In the first book, Tiger Moth finds himself cast unhappily in the school play.  But a mystery unfolds when a painting is stolen from the stage.  Who could have done it?  In the second book, Tiger Moth must figure out who is cheating at the kite contest and how. 

The books are graphic novels, meaning that the art work carries a lot of the story line.  And the art is accessible and fun, just right for easy-readers.  Reluctant readers will pick these up happily.  Even better though is the fact that the humor of the stories create a venue for language play.  The puns are giggle-worthy and there are plenty of them. 

The age of the protagonist makes these great for elementary age reluctant readers, the format lifts it out of any stigma about easy reader books, and the puns make it more interesting for older children.  This is a winning combination. 

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A Seed Is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long.

Once in awhile a book comes my way that I must force my children to read as soon as it enters the house.  This is one of those books!  It immediately jumped to the top of our book pile.  Not that it was a hard sell at all!

This is the second book by the authors of An Egg Is Quiet, which I consider one of the top picture books of last year.  I think that this one is just as wondrous. 

This book continues the glory of the small and exquisite.  You can examine seeds closely from the familiar sunflower and dandelion to the exotic hamburger bean and devil's claw.  This is a book to pore over with a child, linger over and discuss.  On the way, they will learn about the ways in which different seeds grow, how the plants grow from them, and the wonder of photosynthesis.  The text and illustrations work hand-in-hand to make the science accessible and the information inviting.  Share this with preschoolers through first graders to celebrate spring.

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The Navigator by Eoin McNamee.

Looking for a great read for boys from about 5th grade through 8th?  Well, this is the book for you!

Owen finds himself adrift as time starts to run backwards.  He is saved by the Resisters who live on an island outside of time, fighting their enemies the Harsh.  The Harsh want to turn back time to before humans existed so that the land is barren and frozen.  The Resisters are the only ones who stand in their way.  Owen makes friends with Cati, the daughter of the Watcher, who stays awake while all of the other Resisters sleep until they are needed again to fight the Harsh.  He finds himself fighting for his father's integrity as well as his own as the Resisters suspect that he is working for the Harsh. 

The book is a phenomenal read filled with action galore, great characters, amazing technology, and lots of tension.  It reads like a movie, the writing allowing visualization of all of the action.  The setting and situation are unique to this novel, making it a great gateway book into science fiction. 

Recommend this to boys who enjoy Artemis Fowl.  Yes, it doesn't have fairies and it is more sci fi than fantasy, but the action is similar and the same kids should enjoy the novel.

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Looking for an article with good news for libraries and reading? Don't think such a thing actually exists? Well then head to: Teens buying books at fastest rate in decades which is an article that talks about the new glory of teen literature as well as the teen readers themselves. Hurrah!

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The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has an annual award for the best science books.  The 2007 winners are:

Picture Book:

An Egg Is Quiet by Dianna Hutts Aston.

Middle Grades:

Team Moon by Catherine Thimmesh.

Young Adult:

Tigerland and other unintended destinations by Eric Dinerstein.

Hands On Science:

Thomas Edison for Kids by Laurie M. Carlson. 

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The Canadian Library Association has announced the shortlist for their 2007 Young Adult Book Award.  The award is limited to English-language Canadian works published in 2006 for the ages of 13-18.

Mud Girl by Alison Acheson.

The Blue Helmet by William Bell.

Johnny Kellock Died Today by Hadley Dyer.

Hello, Groin by Beth Goobie.

The View from a Kite by Maureen Hull.

Droughtlanders by Carrie Mac.

Featherless Bipeds by Richard Scarsbrook.

Megiddo's Shadow by Arthur Slade.

101 Ways to Dance by Kathy Stinson.

Me and the Blondes by Teresa Toten.

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Yahoo!  has a fascinating buzz log that shows what people are searching for.  The latest buzz log is the Top 50 Children's Books being searched for. 

Some that you would expect are there:  Harry Potter, Blood & Chocolate, Captain Underpants, and Charlotte's Web.  But there are so many classic books!  It is a joy to see The Snowy Day, Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, The Secret Garden, Winnie the Pooh, and Little Women.  Does a librarian's heart good.

Thanks to Neat New Stuff for the link.

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Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier.

Sigh, what a gorgeous book.  The cover truly reflects the beauty of the story itself.  I simply could not read it quickly, wanting to savor as much as I could while being caught up in the story. 

I tend to dislike retellings of fairy tales and folk tales into teen novels.  On some level many of them seem to lack the luster of my childhood imagination.  Marillier's story is the exception to that.

It is the story of five sisters who travel between their world of Transylvania to the other realm where they meet fairies and other incredible characters.  The tale is told from the perspective of Jena, second oldest sister, who found a frog as a child and still carries her pet around with her at all times.  Her older sister Tati is the beauty, who early in the story falls in love with Sorrow, who may or may not be one of the Night People who resemble vampires.  The three youngest sisters offer other distinct personalities as well.  Jena and Tati find themselves in danger both in the other realm and at their home.  When Night People begin to tempt them to the darker side of the Wildwood, their cousin Cezar begins to dominate their lives at home.  The tangles of their double lives as well as of their hearts remind one of the thorny tangle guarding Sleeping Beauty.

References to all sorts of fairy tales and folk tales are made from the Frog Prince to the 12 Dancing Princesses to vampires to fairies and nymphs.  It may sound overwhelming, but the author skillfully weaves all of these into a tale that rings more true than any of the original tales.  She takes these fragments, making them into something larger and more lovely.  It becomes a world that any reader will be loathe to leave. 

I especially applaud the author on her skill with offering just enough detail to carry the story and involve the imagination.  It is a delicate line to cross.  Too much detail and the fairy land becomes less real, too little and it doesn't evoke the magic necessary.  But in this novel, readers are allowed to create their own childhood fairy tales again, led by the author through a remarkable original tale of her own. 

Recommend to fantasy lovers but also girls who enjoy romances or horror.  There are so many levels to this book, that it will appeal to many types of reader.  This is one of the treasures of the year!

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American Indians in Children's Literature is a superb blog. Blogger Debbie Reese wrote yesterday about VOYA's new list of Native American books for teens. Seems that they really missed the mark with some of their recommendations. Nicely, Reese shares some reviews by Beverly Slapin on two of the recommended books.

I wish there were other multicultural blogs like this taking a critical look at how their culture is being portrayed for children. If you know of any, please let me know!

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ALA has announced that And Tango Makes Three is at the top of the most challenged books of 2006.  Wanna bet that The Higher Power of Lucky makes the 2007 list?

Here are the top ten most challenged books of last year:

We start with the sole picture book on the list, but one that carries on the tradition of any picture book for small children that even mentions homosexuality being on the list:

And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson.

Then we get into a group of books for teenage girls that *gasp* address sexuality!

The Gossip Girl series by Cecily Von Ziegesar.

The Alice series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor.

The Earth, My Butt and Other Big, Round Things by Carolyn Mackler.

And of course the Toni Morrison books:

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison.

Beloved by Toni Morrison.

Then books for teens in general that are all cited for "offensive language" because goodness knows that without these books teens would have no idea that such language exists:

Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier.

And finally, for being unsuited to the age group, insensitive, violent AND containing occult/Satanism:

The Scary Stories series by Alvin Schwartz.

Makes me want to run out and read all of them all over again.  Kind of like a backwards recommended reads list.

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2006 James Patterson PageTurner Awards have been announced. The awards honor programs that "go to extraordinary lengths to spread the joy of books and reading across the country." The 39 winners receive cash prizes that total $500,000.

The awards go to programs that serve a variety of ages. The ones for children are remarkable. Here are some that get me all tingly:

826 National, based out of San Francisco, but with offices in large cities across the country, offers free programs that turn children's books into published works, offers one-on-one tutoring in English, and encourage writing, reading and creativity.

First Book, which is a well-known program, continues to do amazing work in getting books into the hands of children who have never owned their own book before.

Books for Boys at the Children's Village has librarians, teachers and volunteers share books with at-risk 6-21 year olds. Lovely.

2nd Chance Books at the Austin Public Library works to get books to incarcerated teens. Hurrah! This is certainly one program that should be duplicated across the country.

The lists continue. I am sure that you will find inspiration, new ideas, and value in many programs on the list.

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Who Is Driving by Leo Timmers.

Carried by Timmers' illustrations, this is a matching book where you match the vehicle to one of four possible drivers.  Then you turn the page for the answer as well as the noise that the vehicle makes.  It is a lot of fun.  The illustrations manage to feel modern and vintage at the same time, with bright colored uniforms and costumes that tell children who fits with the vehicle.   The text is spare but welcoming for small children who will delight in matching things again and again.  (Trust me, I know this from experience!) 

This book is better with a small group or one-on-one because of the details of the pictures that help in matching.  Share it with any child who enjoys vehicles, guaranteeing help when it comes to making the wide variety of engine noises.

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I'm a Reading Fool is a blog I just discovered. It is done by a teen librarian in Connecticut who rates books according to the VOYA scale for both quality and popularity. Sweet!

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The Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) has a great new book list : Never Too Old: Picture Books to Share with Older Children and Teens.

The books are grouped into different categories that make me want to run out and gather up piles to read:

Visualize This: Books about the Arts
Notes on a Page: Books about Music
Into the Past: Books about History
Theories and Revelations: Books about Math and Science
Challenges and Change: Stories of Politics, Identity and Understanding
Seriously Surreal: Tales of (Im)possibility
Over-the-Top: Sly and Sophisticated Humor
All Cracked Up: Fractured Fairy Tales and Fables

Those last three categories really speak to me! They are the ones that have me making lists of new books to try. But I love the depth to the lists, making them useful not only to librarians but to teachers as well.

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Hey, it's Friday and I have a poetry-related post!  Amazing! 

The Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award winner has been announced:

Jazz by Walter Dean Myers.

This makes Myers the first poet to win the award twice.

Three Honor Books were also selected:

Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant by Jack Prelutsky.

The Braid by Helen Frost.

Tour America by Diane Siebert.


And finally, the Promising New Poet Award goes to:

Joyce Lee Wong for Seeing Emily. 

Thanks to CCBC-Net for the news.

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Edwardo: the horriblest boy in the whole wide world by John Burningham.

It is always a treat to see a book by Burningham.  With his own unique illustrative style and his clear language, you know it is going to be something special that stands entirely on its own. 

This book is no exception.  Edwardo is a normal child.  He can be noisy sometimes, messy sometimes, and mean sometimes.  All he hears from the grown-ups around him is that he is a "nasty bully" or "the noisiest boy in the whole wide world."  So Edwardo listens to the adults and becomes noisier, meaner, ruder, messier.  Until he hears something different one day when he is being rude.  And under the appreciation and praise, Edwardo returns to being what he always was:  a normal child with some good and some bad about him.

I really enjoyed this story.  The matter-of-fact tone carries the story forward as Edwardo becomes more and more horrible and less and less of himself.  Just as the horrible factor becomes overwhelming, the author pulls back and switches the tone.  Just as clean and clear in the praise part, we get to watch as Edwardo returns to being himself. 

This will be a great one to share with a group of kids who will all see themselves in Edwardo and wonder if they too are the most horrible child in the whole wide world.  They will be happy to see the turn around to praise and accomplishments.  It is the type of book that children will want to talk about afterwards even in the most simple terms.  I can see it being used for guidance classes or units on self.  But don't wait for that!  Share this one with your group of kindergarteners or first graders and they will appreciate it.

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American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang.

I don't think I can add anything about how wonderful this book is.  It is an incredible creation by a gifted author and illustrator.  I only wish I had read it earlier in the year so that I could have rooted for it to win the Printz ahead of time! 

If you don't usually like graphic novels, this is one that you should try.  Not because it won an award, but because it is accessible even to those who don't read comics regularly.  It goes so far beyond comics with its commentary on stereotypes alone, not to mention the inclusion of the Monkey King.  It is simply amazing.

Buy this one for your libraries, share it with teens, but most of all, read it yourself.  If you are anything like me, you will start looking around for other great graphic novels to immerse yourself in.

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